天下制覇

Identity theft and anime do not mix.

Impressions:

Alright, this is going to get complex, so stay with me here. The easy part is that witchgirl is the real Saji Genpou, so now we have two Sajis. Well, we’ve known that Saji♂ was really Ouin Shishi since the first season, so I suppose it’s not all that confusing, but since the entire cast still calls him Saji, except for Saji♀, who calls him Ouin. After all, it’d be silly to call somebody else by your own name.

With that out of the way, I’m a little disappointed with what they appear to be doing here. Saji♀ appears to be shaping up to be just a misunderstood or angsty antagonist who will be saved by Sonken’s love power at the end. Sure, having rocks thrown at you and being called a monster is a perfectly good excuse for some evil behavior, but tossing Sonken into that flashback and showing her sticking up for Saji♀? Bleh. At least I suppose it finally shows us what Sonken’s role is going to be. Saji♀ seemed to sort of remember her last episode, so I’m sure after a little memory jogging, she’ll bury her head in Sonken’s throw pillows and everybody will live happily ever after.

Next episode does look a bit odd. Hakufu falls in with Ryofu and then attacks Sonken, who is protecting Koukin or something? That’s the most one-sided fight since Shiba-i tried to run over Ryuubi with a car.

I probably need to give this one another watch or three to really get all the conversations between Saji♂ and Saji♀. You’d be amazing at how poorly prepared my Japanese is when it comes to magical mindwarping and identity swapping.

Ryomou’s pissed off at Ryofu for walking in on the path, but Ryofu changes the subject tells her to not worry about Saji. Ryomou immediately comes to the conclusion that Ryofu was lying about not remembering anything after the Rakkyou events. Ryomou tells her that she saw Ryofu with him later.

Ryofu tries to protest, saying that she did lie about remembering Saji, but it was because of Ryomou. She knows about Ryomou and Saji and didn’t want to cause any more problems. Ryomou calms down a bit. Ryofu tells her that she wanted to remember more with Saji and chides Ryomou for not being more honest. She moves in close and says that she knows Ryomou likes Saji. Ryofu admits that she’s kind of jealous of Ryomou. Rakkyou and her past has been completely lost, but… because she doesn’t want to interfere anymore, she’ll leave. This is farewell.

Ryomou stops her, saying that she can stay. Ryofu happily glomps onto Ryomou while Shishi’s eyes glow.

Back at Koukin’s pad, Hakufu tells the others about what happened at Seito. Hakufu comforts a sobbing Ryuubi and asks about what happened. Ryuubi remembers going into the haunted house with Ryofu and then… clams up before sobbing about how it’s all her fault again.

Koukin quietly wonders what it could mean and remembers back to Sonken freaking out around Ryofu. Sonken’s got a similar serious expression, but Hakufu’s adamant about finding Ryofu as soon as possible.

Rikuson walks into the room and stops them. She tells them that looking for Ryofu won’t give them the answers they want. Instead, they must find Saji♂. Saji♂ is the center of everything and this entire situation reeks of Saji’s form of manipulation.

Gakushuu reminds Hakufu that Saji’s true identity is Ouin Shishi, but she’s too dumb to remember what that means.

Saji stands on a rooftoop, looking at his magatama. He flashes back to training. He’s stopped from puting on his magatama by his trainer. Saji says that he needs it in order to stop Toutaku and destroy Rakkyou, but the trainer reminds him of the fate of the Three Kingdoms and the reputation of the real Saji Genpou, a master of trickery and illusions. Saji says that he knows that, and that’s why he needs it… to live. His trainer continues, telling him all about the illusions that plagued Cao Cao and reminding him to be careful. Saji knows that already.

Back in the present, Saji clenches his fist around the magatama before flashing back to not quite as far in the past.

Ryomou sucks at a fighting game while Saji pokes fun at her. Ryomou gets all defensive, so Saji drags her to a Love Shoot photobooth. She goes all tsundere on him, but holds him when he tries to walk away. They get the photo and then put the sticker on her cellphone. More tsundere Ryomou antics as she admits that she had fun before calling him an idiot and running off.

Behind him, the witch girl appears. She has finally found him. He greets her as… Saji Genpou.

She takes him into an alley where she asks about Ryomou’s dragon. Saji♀ wants to use Saji♂.

She takes him to a forest, where Ryofu is hovering while surrounded by light. Saji♂ is amazed and calls out to Ryofu. Saji♀ tells him that it’s just the body right now. He runs off and finds Ryofu fighting Kann-u (the scene from episode 1).

The soul is being refined and molded. This is what the Toushi must do to be true warriors. After the electricity blasts them away, Saji♂ holds Ryofu. Saji♀ explains that the soul is basically feral and must keep fighting. He agrees to help Saji♀ with her designs on Ryomou. She’s a bit surprised and wonders if he’s really serious about it, but he knows that both Ryomou and Ryofu would accept it, because they’re Toushi.

Back in the present, Saji♂ thinks about Ryofu and how he took advantage of and manipulate her even when she was just a puppet. He thinks to himself that he has no choice. 

In a dream, Saji♀  is picked on boys who call her a monster while she looks at a butterfly. They hit it with a bat, killing it and then stomp on it while she cries. The girls spread rumors about her powers… except for one (suspiciously looking and sounding like a very young Sonken) who asks them to stop. They ignore her and start throwing crap at Saji♀  to drive her away. One hits her in the head and her blood starts pouring onto the ground. She turns to the girls and releases her power, forcing them to viciously attack each other.

She wakes up in a sweat. Saji♂ comforts her as she hugs him.

Rikuson continues. This is the work of Saji Genpou. Hakufu’s sort of on the same page now, but Sonken’s off in her own little world. Hakufu declares that she’ll track down Saji since this is unforgiveable. Sonken takes an interest, but Rikuson kiboshes the whole thing since Hakufu has no idea where Saji is anyway. Koukin and Gakushuu notice Sonken being all pouty.

As the rain pours down, Ryomou sleeps. She hears the door close and sees that Ryofu is gone. She follows Ryofu through the house, thinking about what Ryofu said to her earlier.

She realizes the somewhat more suspicious/threatening sides of what Ryofu said and breaks into a run. She follows Ryofu outside where she sees her jump into Saji’s arms and the two kiss. Ryofu smirks back at Ryomou.

Ryomou breaks into a rage and attacks, glowing with her dragon’s aura. Saji♀ finally has it, the dragon’s power. Ryomou understands it all, Ryofu was always just screwing with her like a plaything. Now, Ryomou will crush Ryofu.

Ryomou attacks, but Saji blocks her punch and tells her that it has nothing to do with her. Ryomou collapses and her dragon begins to take over. Ryomou cries in anguish as the power erupts upward.

Hakufu senses something happened to Ryomou.

Ryomou hugs herself as she openly sobs. Saji♀ stands over her and then hugs her. She silently says that what was happened to her was unforgiveable as Ryomou wails her heart out.

Preview:

Hakufu vs Sonken over Koukin? What? Bizarro world?